Category Archives: Picnics

Per Paul Franson, our Napa “in the know” columnist and writer has informed us that Thomas Keller’s Addendum is open for the season, only a fifteen minute drive from your favorite luxury Napa bed and breakfast inn, The Inn On First.

Addendum behind Ad Hoc in Yountville serves take-out lunches Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. They also have some tables you can use for a picnic.

While fried chicken remains on the menu (our favorite item on the menu), chef Thomas Keller and the Ad Hoc team have decide to take BBQ more seriously with the recent purchase of a new Rolltisserie Smoker, which is one of 40 in the country.

Ad Hoc’s chef de cuisine Katie Hagan-Whelchel and TKRG chef de cuisine Devin Knell have spent weeks perfecting their “mop ‘n smoke” technique and BBQ recipes that will be available at Addendum throughout the year.

All meat is smoked with hickory and Napa Valley grape vines cuttings. We provide you with the picnic basket and ice packs; you fill it with your favorite BBQ items and we’ll send you to one of our great picnic spots in the valley.

Storybook Mountain Winery sits at the northern end of the Napa Valley, about a fifty-five minute drive from The Inn On First, a premier lodging property in Napa. Best known for Zinfandel, it has been named repeatedly as one of Wine and Spirits Magazine’s favorite wineries for Zinfandel. Guests of the inn have also raved about this place.

Founded by two brothers named Grimm in the late 1800’s, it closed around prohibition, opened again for a short time until a fire in the 60’s cleared out the buildings. It wasn’t until years later (70’s) that the current owners came and renamed the place with a whimsical name to reflect the winery’s past history. They were told at the time that Zinfandel was best with the particular soil type found at the winery, and the advice they were given has proven its veracity.

We were given a tour of the property which, amazingly, is only tended to by four vineyard workers; they bring in no outside help. So you can imagine how carefully the vines are tended to throughout the year. Once up the small hillside you begin to understand the beauty of the northern Napa Valley, north of Calistoga. Forested hillsides surround you versus the broad plain of the southern Napa Valley.

Entering the caves we were led to the final tasting room under the hillside where we enjoyed a selection of their wines: the Napa Estate Zinfandel (100% Zinfandel, with cherry tones, balanced fruit and oak), Antaeus (50% Zinfandel, then blended, big fruit flavor with a bit more oak than the first, with a nice oak finish), the Napa Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (very fruit forward, light tannins, toasted wood finish), and the Napa Estate Viognier (beautiful floral, honey nose, little acidity, not buttery, not oaken, just right).

Wines range from $36 to $90. Picnicking is allowed prior to or after your tasting in a grassy knoll surrounded by redwood trees. Reservations are a must, and they are closed on Sundays.

Just a 20-minute drive from The Inn On First, a romantic Bed and Breakfast inn in Napa, lies Tudal Vineyards. Now into their 5th decade operating the iconic Tudal Winery in St. Helena, Napa Valley, they proudly grow and produce a Signature (and world-class) wine “Tudal Estate Cabernet Sauvignon” on site from the estate vineyard that was planted in 1972. Visitors of any age can find something to explore, whether it is the array of Napa Valley wines; our bocce court, the enticing flower and produce gardens or the collection of historic farm tractors, tools and bygone novelties that make up a fascinating agricultural retrospective. And if they ask if you want to take any produce home during the Summer, just remember that your innkeeper-chef would love it if you wanted to drop something off in his kitchen!

Here we learned a bit more about maloactic fermentation. We always associated it with “buttery” Chardonnays, but came to find out that it also adds a fullness or roundness to their Chardonnay. It wasn’t buttery at all but felt fuller on our tongues, and had an aftertaste of warm buttered toast that I really enjoyed. Their Zinfandel was bright with cherry flavor and a hint of pepper. They also produce a Super Tuscan blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet that had hints of caramel and dark red berries. Of course we fell in love with their 100% estate Cabernet that is celebrating its 30 anniversary this year. This is a lovely spot to do a tasting and to have a picnic afterward surrounded by their vineyards.

Final note: I am not a Rose fan. They run either too dry or too sweet. Suddenly I felt like Goldilocks and found that theirs was “just right” for me. I bought 3 bottles for summer sipping. Can’t wait for that warm weather to hit! Prices range from $25 to $75.

As we left for the day from The Inn On First, a luxury Napa Bed and Breakfast, we knew we were in for a real treat with our upcoming vineyard lunch. You enjoy as much wine as you want from each bottle they open for you to try. You eat to your heart’s content with incredible food from Ken Frank of La Toque. You look down upon the beauty of Napa Valley and think: “Oh my! I’m so lucky to be in Napa!” You are one of the few who have discovered and enjoyed the uniqueness of Napa Valley at its best.

Chateau Patel-VGS. Vineyard Lunch. It began with a drive up Mt. Veeder and down a long, dusty road to a gated vineyard. We met Tony, an affable man with a great smile, and he opened the gates and invited us to follow him. We traversed the rows of cabernet grapes, and when we spotted the pink flag on one of the stakes he proudly proclaimed: “Pick a row! Climb the mountain.” We did. It wasn’t a long climb, about 50 yards, through the vines ripe with fruit, purple and luscious, hanging, waiting for you to enjoy their bounty. I can see why tennis shoes or good hiking shoes are a must.

We found a dirt road on top and followed that up another 50 yards until we found the arbor, built specifically for this purpose. A table, white linen table cloth and napkins, with wine glasses, silverware, and plates awaiting the diner. As well as a gorgeous view of Napa Valley and the surrounding vineyards.

We started with a salmon spread and toast points served with their VGS Explorer Sauvignon Blanc ($25). A crisp wine with smells of lightly buttered toast and hints of lemon went well with the salmon. We followed this with a lovely green salad, blue cheese, candied pecans and a balsamic vinaigrette served with the VGS Chardonnay ($45), with notes of pear, green apple, and honeydew. A beautiful combination of food and wine. We also paired this and the next course with their cabernet-zinfandel blend called “Illegitimate” (2009) ($37). Fruity, with flavors of tart cherries and spice, very fruit forward and big fruit flavors.

Our main course was beef carpaccio, potato salad, and marinated vegetables served with the Illegitimate and their VGS Syrah (2009) ($75) with big fruit flavors, lightly spiced, and extremely delicious. Of course there was still the cheese course with cranberry nut bread, nuts, and three beautiful cheeses. All that could be paired with what we already had open. But then Tony opened a bottle of their late harvest zinfandel, called “Zinie” (2010) ($28). Low in residual sugar and not at all like many of the dessert wines we’ve had elsewhere, it was an incredible pairing with the cheese and bread.

I have to admit that it wasn’t just the food and the wine and the view that made our day special. Tony is an incredible host, funny, and willing to engage you in conversation about many things. He makes you feel comfortable, even about the fact that there are no restrooms: “Just find a nice spot around the bend in the road,” he encouraged as we each took turns finding our private hideaway. Rustic, yes, but with the views of vineyards and mountains, it didn’t matter. For $80/pp you would be hard pressed to enjoy such a wonderful experience at any restaurant in the valley with this caliber pairing of wines for anything less. And remember, you also get all those views on your way down the mountain! Oh, and don’t forget to ask him: “What does VGS stand for anyway?”